Does the Organic Foods Production Act have provisions for enforcement and penalties for regulatory violation?
Yes. There are provisions and penalties for both producers and certifiers. Mislabeling and False Statements Any person who knowingly mislabels a product as organic can be fined a maximum of $10,000 and may be disbarred from the Organic Program for five years. Persons who make false statements to the Secretary of Agriculture, a state official or a certifying agent are subject to penalties under Federal law, and may be disbarred from the program for five years. Violations by Certifying Agencies A certifying agency that violates the provisions of the program or falsely or negligently certifies any operation shall lose accreditation and shall not be eligible for re-accreditation for three years. (Note: The previous summary of the Organic Foods Production Act was based largely on a report produced by Organic Harvest, the educational program of the Organic Trade Association P.O. Box 1078, Greenfield, MA 01302.
